Bitumen paint is the thick tarry stuff that roofers love, but can you use bitumen paint on felt? Let’s have a look.
Yes, Bitument paint is designed to be used on felt. One of its key uses is as a felt adhesive so you can definitely use bitumen paint on felt.
Painting Onto Felt
Bitumen paint can be used both underneath and on top of felt.
When used underneath on something like a shed roof it acts as an adhesive, glueing the felt to the shed roof. While working as an adhesive it also adds another layer of water protection.
It can also be painted on top of the felt as an overcoat. This adds another layer of protection on top of the felt.
One problem with this is that it won’t last too long exposed to dangerous UV. It will break up, much the same as roofing felt does when exposed to damaging UV rays.
While we like to think that we don’t get much UV here in the UK anyone who has owned a shed will have seen this damage first hand.
Bitumen felt and by extension, bitumen paint breaks down quickly in UV. You will have no doubt observed just how quick the felt on a shed roof can begin to degrade.
As a bit of a workaround, some people like to use a layer of sand on top of the bitumen. This helps to deflect some of the UV away, protecting the bitumen.
An Alternative Idea
One alternative idea if you are thinking of using bitumen paint to waterproof your shed is to instead use a pond liner.
Pond liners are heavy-duty plastic sheets, normally jet black. These can be expected to last a long long time, even when exposed to the elements.
You can use one to waterproof your shed roof, knowing it could last for 30-40 years. You could use a different decorative roof on top of the pond liner, to help improve the appearance. I mean not everyone wants a shed that looks like it has been covered with an oversized bin liner.
If you do this though you can end up with the best of both worlds. A shed roof that has a nice outside appearance but that will be watertight for the next few decades.
You could even apply felt on top of the pond liner and not have to be too bothered about it degrading. it would be purely decorative rather than your shed roofs only protection from the rain.
What Is Bitumen Paint Used For?
Bitumen paint is often used for helping make roofs watertight. it is particularly common as an adhesive and water seal when putting down felt roofs.
The felt used on shed roofs up and down Britain actually has bitumen already in it and it is common to use bitumen paint to stick it down to the shed.
Bitumen paint is also commonly applied on top of metal roofs to add an extra layer of protection. This can both help to protect the metal from corrosion and add another layer of water resistance to the metal roof.
It can also be used as a wood preserver, some landscapers like to coat the bottom of fence posts in bitumen before putting them into the ground. This helps the post last longer before it starts to rot away.
Other metal surfaces such as downpipes, railings and gates can be coated in bitumen paint to add lasting protection.
This is more of a commercial use but you will also see it used as a protective coating for concrete structures, stone, brick, concrete screeds and sand/cement surfaces.
Related Articles
Want to know more about Bitumen paint? Why not check out these posts?
